Epidemiology, course and predictors of long-term COVID infection (long COVID). A review.

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a serious challenge to the healthcare system in the 21st century. At present, over 771 million cases have been reported worldwide. Apart from the acute symptoms, many patients experience long-term consequences of the infection, which greatly affect their quality of life. The collection of these long-term effects is called “long COVID.” Therefore, the consequences of COVID-19 must be studied to develop effective strategies for combating them. This review aimed to provide an overview of the history of long COVID and discuss the characteristics of contemporary terminology. This review also presents data on the prevalence of long COVID, primary symptoms, and risk factors and explores potential biomarkers, prognosis, and prospects for subsequent clinical trials.